Dumb things people do with sharks

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The following photos show the might of sharks and the marks they leave behind. Like 15-year-old Cody High of San Angelo, Texas, who was bitten by a "6-foot bull shark" in Cocoa Beach over Memorial Day weekend 2018, according to family members. WARNING: Some photos are graphic. PHOTO COURTESY OF JANICE HOTZ

Kaia Anderson, 14, of Floridana Beach (south of Melbourne Beach) was bitten by a shark this past Saturday while surfing. The family dogs Oscar,the Lab, and Spot the Chihuahua insisted on being a part of the photo session. TIM SHORTT/ FLORIDA TODAY

Heather Orr of Palm Bay was swimming at Ocean Ave. on Monday when she felt a sharp pain and noticed her left hand was bleeding. Life guards treated her at the scene, then her boyfriend drove her to Holmes Regional Medical Center where she was treated and released. Ironically, she came home and watched a shark movie. The bad news is she is left-handed. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Left: Lucas Vertullo poses in his baseball uniform. Right: Ocean Rescue responders carry Lucas Vertullo to a waiting ambulance after he was bitten by a shark while swimming near Cocoa Beach. Vertullo Family and Atticus Gonzalez

Amy Tatsch of Indian Harbour Bch was Boogie boarding with her brother at Ponce De Leon Landing Park in Melbourne Beach May 15 in cloudy water when she was bitten by a 6-7 foot Bull shark. Thirteen days in Holmes Regional medical Center and five surgeries later, she is doing well and continuing physical therapy. 58 exterior stiches on her lower right leg. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Amy Tatsch of Indian Harbour Bch was Boogie boarding with her brother at Ponce De Leon Landing Park in Melbourne Beach May 15 in cloudy water when she was bitten by a 6-7 foot Bull shark. Thirteen days in Holmes Regional medical Center and five surgeries later, she is doing well and continuing physical therapy. Some of the 58 stitches on her front shin. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Amy Tatsch of Indian Harbour Bch was Boogie boarding with her brother at Ponce De Leon Landing Park in Melbourne Beach May 15 in cloudy water when she was bitten by a 6-7 foot Bull shark. Thirteen days in Holmes Regional medical Center and five surgeries later, she is doing well and continuing physical therapy. Some serious stiches on the back of her lower leg. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Kristy Stuart of Indian Harbour Beach show iPhone hospital photos of her son Joshua Stuart, 13, also of Indian Harbour Beach who was bitten by a shark while surfing at Bicentennial Park in Indian Harbour Beach Sunday afternoon. Craig Rubadoux/ FLORIDA TODAY

Kristy Stuart of Indian Harbour Beach show Iphone hospital photos of her Joshua Stuart age 13 also of Indian Harbour Beach who was bit by a shark while surfing at Bicentennial Park in Indian Harbour Beach Sunday afternoon. Craig Rubadoux/ FLORIDA TODAY

Ralph Sammis of Melbourne Beach talks about getting bitten by a Black-tip shark while surfing in South Melbourne Beach on April 21st 2003, the injury required nearly 100 stitches and three months in rehab . Craig Rubadoux CRAIG RUBADOUX/FLORIDA TODAY

Ralph Sammis of Melbourne Beach talks about getting bitten by a Black-tip shark while surfing in South Melbourne Beach on April 21st 2003, the injury required nearly 100 stitches and three months in rehab . Craig Rubadoux CRAIG RUBADOUX/FLORIDA TODAY

Ralph Sammis of Melbourne Beach talks about getting bitten by a Black-tip shark while surfing in South Melbourne Beach on April 21st 2003, the injury required nearly 100 stitches and three months in rehab . Craig Rubadoux CRAIG RUBADOUX/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. Christian with his father Renaldo. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. Christian with his father and mother, Renaldo and Melissa. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. Christian is comforted by his mother Melissa, he is still in a lot of pain. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. Christian's mom Melissa comforts him, he is still in a lot of pain. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Christian Sanhueza came to the beach with his family Saturday and was bitten by a shark while boogie boarding across from Patrick Air Force Base. The nine year old has had two surgeries on his foot since Saturday. He spent his 9th birthday in Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center on Tuesday being interviewed by the media about his ordeal with his family at his side. MALCOLM DENEMARK/FLORIDA TODAY

Violet Jalil, 3, is recovering at St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach after she was bitten by a shark Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, at Bathtub Beach in Martin County. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO BY RICHARD TRACHUK

In this June 2009 photo, Kevin Crowley, 14 of Decatur, Georgia, had a story to tell his friends back home. He suspected he was bitten by a shark as he was played in the Melbourne Beach surf. When Kevin was in the hospital, his friends put a shark photo on his iPhone touch. CRAIG RUBADOUX/2009 FLORIDA TODAY FILE

In this Aug. 19, 2000, photo, Becky Chapman, 17, of Winter Park suffered a shark bite to her lower left leg while surfing at nearby Ponce de Leon Inlet. Chapman was one of six surfers attacked during the weekend near New Smyrna Beach in four days. Barbara V. Perez

Shark Bite
11/24/09-- Garrett Gollihugh, 11, was bitten on his left foot by a shark while swimming about a half mile north of Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach on Tuesday. He was treated at Cape Canaveral Hospital. He was swimming with his sister, Hannah, 12, his father, Gary, was on the beach. They are visiting relatives in the Cocoa Beach area for the holidays. Photo by Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY, Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY

Richard Watley, 55, of Orange Beach, Ala., recuperates at a hospital in Foley, Ala. Watley and a friend were training for a triathlon in Gulf Shores, Ala., when both were attacked by a shark while swimming between 60 and 180 feet from shore. Watley shows his injuries from his hospital room June 10, 2000, at Baldwin County Regional Medical Center in Foley, Ala. 1999 AP FILE

Barry Pasonski of Indialantic recuperates from surgery to repair tendons in his hand following a shark attack at Floridana Beach in this 1999 file photo. The local surfer and veteran of surf tours in Puerto Rico, Hawaii and South Africa took a at his home in Indialantic, he was bitten by a shark recently while surfing at Floridiana beach. JOSEF CORSO/1999 FLORIDA TODAY FILE

6-18-2008---John Vasbinder is having about 40 stitches taken out of his hand after he was bitten by a shark at 15th Street in Cocoa Beach earlier. Dr. Stephen Badolato is removing the stitches in his Suntree office. Photo By: Michael R. Brown Michael R. Brown, Michael R. Brown

6-18-2008---John Vasbinder is having about 40 stitches taken out of his hand after he was bitten by a shark at 15th Street in Cocoa Beach earlier. Dr. Stephen Badolato is removing the stitches in his Suntree office. Photo By: Michael R. Brown Michael R. Brown, Michael R. Brown

6-18-2008---John Vasbinder is having about 40 stitches taken out of his hand after he was bitten by a shark at 15th Street in Cocoa Beach earlier. Dr. Stephen Badolato is removing the stitches in his Suntree office. Photo By: Michael R. Brown Michael R. Brown, Michael R. Brown

6-18-2008---John Vasbinder is having about 40 stitches taken out of his hand after he was bitten by a shark at 15th Street in Cocoa Beach earlier. Dr. Stephen Badolato is removing the stitches in his Suntree office. Photo By: Michael R. Brown Michael R. Brown, Michael R. Brown

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-Published caption:-
- Thomas Ryan, a 30-year-old surfer from Orlando, was bitten by a shark Sunday afternoon while surfing at Playalinda Beach. Ryan needed about 90 stitches to close the wound, and might need additional skin grafts in the future from the injury. His was the fifth of six reported shark bites in the waters off Brevard County this month.-
-Photographer's caption:-
-Text: 4/21/02- Shark Bite victim- Orlando surfer, 30 yr old Thomas Ryan, was bitten by a shark while surfing at Playalinda Beach Sunday afternoon. He was taken to Parrish Medical Center in Titusville. Ryan has more than 100 stiches, and may need additional skin grafts in the future from the injury. Ryan remains upbeat and still plans to surf again as soon as he can, but is concerned about having no insurance. This was the fifth reported shark bite in Brevard County this month. Malcolm Denemark, Copyright 2003 Florida Today;Florida Today

Justin Ellingham, a Fla. Tech student who lives in Melb. Bch, was bitten in the hand by a shark on April 19th while surfing. He is undergoing hand therapy using the flexor tendon program with Sue Hale, O.T.R./L, CHT, owner of The Hale Hand Center in Melbourne.
Photo by Malcolm Denemark Malcolm Denemark, Malcolm Denemark, FLORIDA TODAY

Justin Ellingham, a Fla. Tech student who lives in Melb. Bch, was bitten in the hand by a shark on April 19th while surfing. He is undergoing hand therapy using the flexor tendon program with Sue Hale, O.T.R./L, CHT, owner of The Hale Hand Center in Melbourne.
Photo by Malcolm Denemark Malcolm Denemark, Malcolm Denemark, FLORIDA TODAY

Justin Ellingham, a Fla. Tech student who lives in Melb. Bch, was bitten in the hand by a shark on April 19th while surfing. He is undergoing hand therapy using the flexor tendon program with Sue Hale, O.T.R./L, CHT, owner of The Hale Hand Center in Melbourne. Justin shows Amy Oberbeck his wound from the shark bite, she is undergoing therapy at the center also for a shoulder injury.
Photo by Malcolm Denemark Malcolm Denemark, Malcolm Denemark, FLORIDA TODAY

Justin Ellingham, a Fla. Tech student who lives in Melb. Bch, was bitten in the hand by a shark on April 19th while surfing. He is undergoing hand therapy using the flexor tendon program with Sue Hale, O.T.R./L, CHT, owner of The Hale Hand Center in Melbourne.
Photo by Malcolm Denemark Malcolm Denemark, Malcolm Denemark, FLORIDA TODAY

Shark Bite
11/24/09-- Garrett Gollihugh, 11, was bitten on his left foot by a shark while swimming about a half mile north of Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach on Tuesday. He was treated at Cape Canaveral Hospital. He was swimming with his sister, Hannah, 12, his father, Gary, was on the beach. They are visiting relatives in the Cocoa Beach area for the holidays. Photo by Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY, Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY

Shark Bite
11/24/09-- Garrett Gollihugh, 11, was bitten on his left foot by a shark while swimming about a half mile north of Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach on Tuesday. He was treated at Cape Canaveral Hospital. He was swimming with his sister, Hannah (R), 12, his father, Gary (center), was on the beach. They are visiting relatives in the Cocoa Beach area for the holidays. Photo by Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY, Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY

Shark Bite
11/24/09-- Garrett Gollihugh, 11, was bitten on his left foot by a shark while swimming about a half mile north of Lori Wilson Park in Cocoa Beach on Tuesday. He was treated at Cape Canaveral Hospital. He was swimming with his sister, Hannah, 12, his father, Gary, was on the beach. They are visiting relatives in the Cocoa Beach area for the holidays. Photo by Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY Rik Jesse/FLORIDA TODAY, Rik Jesse, FLORIDA TODAY

Editor's note: This content and video footage might be disturbing to some.

Ready for a little shark and awe? Er, make that shock and awe.

During a brainstorm meeting about Shark Week coverage, FLORIDA TODAY editors and reporters pitched those familiar, clickable stories that readers love so much. Like what's new with shark regulations and compelling stories about shark bite victims and how the experience has changed them. Or that story about sharks vs. gators and which is the fiercer predator. (Since this is a shark story, let's go with sharks.)

Oddly, it took a few minutes for us to brainstorm, or rather remember, those types of stories. Shark bite reports are fairly common in this business. Occasionally, fishermen send pics of their really big catches. So those stories were easy to come up with. We found ourselves saying, "remember when that guy jumped on the shark's back" and "remember when ..."

The following roundup showcases dumb things people do with sharks. Fair warning, some of the videos and images are graphic. Also, this list is meant to show what unfortunately happens to sharks and not delve into the why. But perhaps this list will hopefully prevent a follow-up article — and we won't have to write another roundup about "more dumb things people do with sharks."

Resist the shark selfie

Don't, we repeat, don't try to take a shark selfie. If you're a diver or you're in the water and you spot a shark, for goodness sake, don't turn your back on it for a shark selfie. The dangers far outweigh the number of likes you could get. Let the photo or video of the creature in its natural habitat be enough.

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Fake news site World News Daily Report posted an article about a man who supposedly died after taking a selfie with a shark. The man in the photo is Pete Wentz and somehow Kevin Jonas gets involved.
Newslook

Don't make up news about sharks

This is kind of in the realm of the fake shark selfie story about Pete Wentz and Kevin Jonas. It could be funny, but is the joke about sharks swimming in a Houston street and doctoring an image worth scaring people?

A tweet from @Jeggit on Aug. 28, 2017 appears to show a shark swimming in a Houston street. The image is fake.(Photo: Twitter screengrab)

A false news story circulating Facebook this week claimed a shark was spotted in the Big Sioux Recreation area. There was no shark in the Big Sioux River.(Photo: Screengrab)

A false news story circulating around Facebook claimed a shark was sighted in the Big Sioux River July 12. There was not a shark in the Big Sioux River.(Photo: Screengrab)

This shark was left to die

A shark was found shot in the head at the bottom of the ocean about 30 miles off the coast of Jacksonville Beach, according to this 2015 news report by WTLV (watch the video for more info). The shark apparently wasn't shot with a handgun, but rather a speargun. It was not known whether the shark was shot in self-defense. It was, however, left to die on the ocean floor.

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Shark found shot in head off Jacksonville Beach

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A boater off the coast of Florida got the ride of his lifetime when he swam up next to a whale shark and hopped on.
VPC

Don't ride a shark

In these videos from 2013 and 2014, these young boaters hop on a whale shark for a brief ride. A scientist in a WTSP news report in 2014 criticized this. While whale sharks are docile and do not pose a threat to humans, they are protected. It's OK to swim with them — from about six feet away.

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Chris Kreis of Fort Myers, Fla. was out on the water with his dad and a group of friends when they came across a massive whale shark near their boat. The teen jumped in the water, and briefly caught a ride with the giant sea creature. (June 17)
AP

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A man in Florida caught hold of a whale shark and rode him for a bit in the ocean. One scientist explains why riding one is a bad idea.
VPC

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19-year-old Chris Kreis of Fort Myers, Fla. was out on the water with his dad and a group of friends when they came across a massive whale shark near their boat. The teen jumped in the water and briefly caught a ride. (June 17)
AP

Don't illegally catch sharks

In February, a North Fort Myers man on probation for wildlife violations was arrested and faced more than a dozen charges, including allegedly catching eight sharks over the state limit and using nets for those catches after two wildlife officers saw him try to toss other fish into a creek.

When Bryan David Becker saw the wildlife officers, he began tossing fish over the side of the boat until ordered to stop. The FWC agents also saw a large pile of fish and sharks on the boat deck in the open air without ice and three mullet floating away from his vessel.

No other fishing equipment was found in Becker's boat except for two seine nets. Harvesting sharks with nets is an unlawful method of taking and the legal recreational limit for sharks is one per person per day. Becker was eight sharks over his bag limit.

A LEhighNAcresman is facin 17 charges incouding being over the bag limit for shark, using an illegal catching method for shark and other violations.(Photo: Special to The News-Press)

A Lehigh Acres man is facing 17 charges including being over the bag limit for shark, using an illegal catching method for shark and other violations.(Photo: Special to The News-Press)

Shark-dragging case

Three Florida men were charged with dragging a shark. In a viral video that surfaced in July 2017, a shark was seen struggling in the water, being dragged behind a boat at high speed.

In December, following a months-long investigation, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission announced charges against Michael Wenzel, 21, Robert Lee Benac, 28, and Spencer Heintz, 23. Each was charged with two counts of felony animal cruelty.

The video shows a shark being pulled behind the speeding boat and battered in the boat's wake. Three men are shown in the video pointing and laughing at the animal.

The video spread on social media sites and quickly drew outrage and a criminal investigation.

Florida wildlife officials are investigating a video that appears to show a boat traveling at a high speed while dragging a shark.
USA TODAY

Baby shark in trash can

On July 3, a baby shark was found in a garbage can on the beach amid plastic bottles and other trash. The waste bin that contained the carcass was a block north of the main entrance at Shepard Park in Cocoa Beach.

Bryan Bobbitt, deputy executive director of KBB, has seen animal tragedies like this before.

"People consider certain fish species a junk fish. It's sad to see some people take a catfish and throw it on the shore and not try to save it and release it," he said. "It just sits there and gasps for air and dies."

The South Australia Police are investigating how a shark wound up in a puddle. Patrick Jones (@Patrick_E_Jones) has the details.
Buzz60

Don't be tacky

And the insensitive award goes to ... this store, which sold "shark attack" T-shirts near the site where two victims were bitten by a shark in one month.

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A North Carolina store is under fire for selling 'shark attack' t-shirts near the site where two victims were bitten by a shark in mid-June.
VPC

Don't touch

If you see a shark, for Pete's sake, don't touch it. Don't pet it. You could lose an arm. Is the curiosity worth it? Is it a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be that close to a shark? Not really — not with SeaWorld parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio, and shark-themed tourist attractions all over the world.

Melissa Brunning — the woman pulled off the back of a boat by a tawny nurse shark in Dugong Bay, Western Australia after the shark bit finger — has to say. "Life lesson — Don't feed sharks Kids," Brunning said in a Facebook post.

Brunning, 34, was hand-feeding fish to a group of tawny nurse sharks off the back of a boat when one bit her and dragged her into the water, according to Australian’s 7 News. She initially thought her finger was bitten off due to the immense pain but despite the broken bone and torn ligament, the finger stayed intact.

In a video of the incident that's gone viral, Brunning is seen with her hand underwater holding a fish. In the blink of an eye, she is screaming in pain as the shark pulls her into the water. Then, friends immediately pull Brunning back onto the boat.

"Please let me assure you all, this is NOT a shark 'attack' this is me doing a silly thing and suffering a consequence," Brunny said in a post. "The water is their domain ... and we should appreciate and admire them from a far."

Don't make a shark angry

If you're a fisherman and you catch a shark, don't agitate it because it'll escalate the situation. In this instance, the shark took it out on a beachgoer.

In July 2014, a 7-foot-long, juvenile great white shark attacked a swimmer near Southern California's Manhattan Beach pier. The swimmer suffered a bite wound on the right side of his rib cage.

The shark was hooked to a fisherman's line. The long-distance swimmer got close and was bitten while the shark was tearing through the line. The shark was hooked by the fisherman for 40 minutes before the attack.